God's salvation has many aspects:
Those who believe in Him have been redeemed. He has paid the necessary price--His blood--to buy them back from bondage to sin and Satan. They no longer need fear death's sting. There is no more debt to pay.
Those who believe in Him have been recipients of His grace. His grace, which is deeper then all the sins the entire world has committed, has been lavished upon them. Free.
Those who believe in Him have been recipients of His mercy. He has removed their guilt by nailing it to His cross. They now face no condemnation because their Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous, defends them before the Father.
Those who believe in Him have been justified. God has removed their sin and replaced it with His Son's righteousness. Their lives are hidden in Him. When God looks at them, He sees His Son.
Those who believe in Him have been reconciled. Though they were once by choice the enemies of God, He has now placed them into the kingdom of His dear Son. They have been made friends of God.
Those who believe in Him have been given access to the Father. They have free entrance into His throne room to plead for His grace and mercy in time of need. Though He knows all about them and has revealed to them their weaknesses in His Word, He lovingly accepts them into His presence through prayer that He might willingly and enthusiastically meet their every need.
Those who believe in Him have been made conquerors. His love guarantees their victory. Nothing can separate them from that love which works all things out for the good of His people, now and forever.
Those who believe in Him are being sanctified. He has loosed them from the chains of sin and is constantly transforming them into the image of His Son. He promises that one day that work will be completed. When they see Him, they will be like Him.
Those who believe in Him will be glorified. Their old bodies will be replaced with incorruptible and immortal ones. They will be once for all removed from not just the penalty and power of sin but from its very presence.
My father's favorite verses were I John 5:11-13: "And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life."
Though my father was faithful, his quiet confidence was not in his faithfulness but in the faithfulness of God, the promise of the God who cannot lie.
Though my father loved God, his quiet confidence was in God's inescapable love for Him. He rested in that love.
My father knew what a great salvation he had in Christ and His finished work. Do you know? My father wouldn't think of trying to add anything to that work, to try in some way to be his own savior. What are you trusting in to earn your way into Heaven? Who will be your defender when you stand before a righteous, holy God? What acts will you use to claim redemption? What will you try to convince the Father was necessary beyond what His Son did on the cross? How will those acts compare to Christ's act, His sinless life of faithfulness and His willing sacrifice for the payment of sin's wages? "This is the work of God, to believe on Him whom He has sent."
And if you know how great a salvation you've been given, when was the last time you thanked Him? Are you taking your salvation for granted, neglecting its significance? Thank Him with the praise of your lips and with a life lived in obedience to His Word. Love Him and His people because He first loved you. In quietness and confidence will be your strength.
Those who believe in Him have been redeemed. He has paid the necessary price--His blood--to buy them back from bondage to sin and Satan. They no longer need fear death's sting. There is no more debt to pay.
Those who believe in Him have been recipients of His grace. His grace, which is deeper then all the sins the entire world has committed, has been lavished upon them. Free.
Those who believe in Him have been recipients of His mercy. He has removed their guilt by nailing it to His cross. They now face no condemnation because their Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous, defends them before the Father.
Those who believe in Him have been justified. God has removed their sin and replaced it with His Son's righteousness. Their lives are hidden in Him. When God looks at them, He sees His Son.
Those who believe in Him have been reconciled. Though they were once by choice the enemies of God, He has now placed them into the kingdom of His dear Son. They have been made friends of God.
Those who believe in Him have been given access to the Father. They have free entrance into His throne room to plead for His grace and mercy in time of need. Though He knows all about them and has revealed to them their weaknesses in His Word, He lovingly accepts them into His presence through prayer that He might willingly and enthusiastically meet their every need.
Those who believe in Him have been made conquerors. His love guarantees their victory. Nothing can separate them from that love which works all things out for the good of His people, now and forever.
Those who believe in Him are being sanctified. He has loosed them from the chains of sin and is constantly transforming them into the image of His Son. He promises that one day that work will be completed. When they see Him, they will be like Him.
Those who believe in Him will be glorified. Their old bodies will be replaced with incorruptible and immortal ones. They will be once for all removed from not just the penalty and power of sin but from its very presence.
My father's favorite verses were I John 5:11-13: "And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life."
Though my father was faithful, his quiet confidence was not in his faithfulness but in the faithfulness of God, the promise of the God who cannot lie.
Though my father loved God, his quiet confidence was in God's inescapable love for Him. He rested in that love.
My father knew what a great salvation he had in Christ and His finished work. Do you know? My father wouldn't think of trying to add anything to that work, to try in some way to be his own savior. What are you trusting in to earn your way into Heaven? Who will be your defender when you stand before a righteous, holy God? What acts will you use to claim redemption? What will you try to convince the Father was necessary beyond what His Son did on the cross? How will those acts compare to Christ's act, His sinless life of faithfulness and His willing sacrifice for the payment of sin's wages? "This is the work of God, to believe on Him whom He has sent."
And if you know how great a salvation you've been given, when was the last time you thanked Him? Are you taking your salvation for granted, neglecting its significance? Thank Him with the praise of your lips and with a life lived in obedience to His Word. Love Him and His people because He first loved you. In quietness and confidence will be your strength.
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